Stamp-affixing machine



Patented Mar. 24, 1925.

NUNITEDsfr-A1135Pa'rlarrr oFFlcE. g

WILLIAM F. SCHWEIGER, OF ROCHESTER,'-NEW YORK, ASSGNOR TO' MULTIIPOST C01VI- PANY,INCORPORATED, `OIE ROCHESTER, NEW YORK,` A CORPORATIONOF NEW YORK.

, STAMP-AFHXINGMAGHIN'E. p v

` Application medseptember 5, 1924. serial/.Na 'raad/'4. c

To all 'whom t may concern." y

Be it known that'LWILLIAM F. Sortware.` En, a citizenxof the United States of America, residing at Rochester, in the county of Monroe and'State of New York, have invented certain new `and useful Improvements in VStamp-Aifxing Machines, of which the following is a` specification. l

This invention relatesto a stamp aflixing machine, with morey particular reference to thek type in which 'certain manually controlled devices cooperate to feed a stamp strip, moisten an envelope, sever a stamp, andV aliX to the moistened portion of the envelope. t y y The purpose of the invention is to provide cancelling mechanism which will print or mark on an envelope. adjacent to or to one side ofthe stamp or stamp receiving Zone, such operation being desirable for instance `in connection with pre-cancelled stamps for thev purpose of imposing a can-` cellation or dating mark on the envelope at the time the stamp is aiixed. thereto. 1

Another object of the invention is to pro `vide cancelling mechanism for the purpose mentioned, and arranged so as to be auto-' matically operated by or in conjunction with the `stamp aixing mechanism, and preferably at the same operation that feeds and aihXes the stamp.

With these ends in view, the invention embodies the principle that will be more )clearly understood4 from the following description,`

when read in conjunctionl with the accom# panying-drawing, the novel features being pointed out in the claims following gthe description. 1

In the drawing: 1 Y Figure l is afsectional view of a stamp aiiixing machine incorporating the "invention in onepracticalform, yand-with the parts in normal or uppermost position;

Figure 2 is 'a similar view, partially broken away, With the parts in their lowermost operating position; Y Figure 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view on line 3-3 of Figure l, and

Figure 4 is a detail View of a portion of an envelope, showing astamp aiiixed and:

cancelled.

The underlying idea forming the basis of this invention may be carried out in a ,nume

ber of ways,- and this disclosure is intended merely to illustrate one practical arrange-' ment, as an example of the scheme of operation and function of the improvement.

Referring to the Vstructure disclosed, 1 designates a housing `carrying `a Vbase 2 and t container 3 for the Vstamp strip or roll 4,

which is moved to position over the envelope and severed by the usual lfeeding and cut-v ting devices employed in' this type of ma-` chine. `Said'feeding-fand cutting devices are mounted on a vertically 'movable plunger 5 carrying the yusual handle 6 by whichthe machine vis manually operated. l

The plunger `5 carries at its lowerl end a foot 7 which engages and aflixes the stamp to the envelopel after'itis severed from the strip, the envelope being first moistened by water that isejected from a Water compartment 8, through suitable openings and by meansI of a water ejecting. `device 9 which is normally in the positionshown in Figure v3,

and operated through a rod 10 and pivoted cam 11. The latter is engaged by the arborV 12' during the downward movementof the plunger 5 so as to cause the water ejecting devicel9 to move inwardly, while upon'the` upstroke of the plunger, the arbor 12 swings the cam 11 on its axis upwardly and rides past it. r'Ihejrnoistening `mechanismjus; described` forms no part of the present ina vention, but is ysubstantially ink accordance with prior stamp atlixing apparatus.

Where pre-cancelled stamps are used, it is desirable to impose acancelling and dating mark onthe envelope, or on the envelope andv stamp, at the time the latter is atxed, such cancellation mark preferably extending over the stamp `and over the area of the envelope alongside of or adjacenty to the stamp, as illustrated in Figure The cancellationmark on the stamp itself may be vtaken `care of by suitable printing means carried by the foot 7 and serving to mark upon the stamp at the same time that the latter is pressed upon the envelope. In order to impose the necessary cancellation mark on the Zone of the envelope to one side of or 4 adjacent to the stamp zone, an independent cancelling device is employed, which is preferably operated automatically at the same time that the stamp is affixed.

, latter is severedfrom the strip when in itsk This may be accomplished in different Ways, and one method consists in mounting a. cancellingd'evce or vprinting pad 15- on an arm 16, the latter being carried by the foot 7.

spring 17, so that it may yield when engaging the envelope, preferablymoving slightly in advance of the foot 7, as shown inf Figure` 1. The plunger 5 andparts just described,

are held in normal or upwardpositionby the spring 18, while 19 is an inkingcroller mounted on an arm 20 which ispivoted. at 21 and spring-operated to hold it in the position illustrated in Figure l. `As the parts move downwardly, thevv inking roller 19` is actuatedy laterally to the posit-ion shownin Figure 2, and during such operationrwipes over the surfaces of the printing devices ong foot 7 and printing pad 15, the vroller beingheld in disengaged position by the upwardly eX- tending ledge 22. Ink may be supplied to, the roller 19 when necessary through an opening' 23 provided with a movable cover 24.-

In operating the machine, it isvplaced over an envelope with `the foot 7 above the stamp Zone illustrated in `Figure 4. The plunger 5 is pressed downwardly, causing water to be ejected on to the stampzone of the envelope, while at the same time Jthe 'stamp strip is fed suiiciently to eject` a stamp, the.

position over the envelope andimmediately following, the foot 7 engages the stamp and by the pressure of the plunger, forces it into close engagement with the envelope. A t-the same time, the printing devices o-n the. foot `7 impose the dark lines or other suitable;

cancellation mark on the stamp.l

Immediately followingvthe pressing of the? stamp upon the envelope, orsimultaneously.

therewith, the independent cancellingdevice I 15 comes into engagement with the envelope is not limited to the arrangement or details herein describedbut is susceptible of modi- The printing pad 15 is preferablyv 'f resiliently held on the arm` 164 through a `plunger operatively associated with plunger operatively associated with the strip feeding means, and a cancelling` device arranged` and operable so to printl on--tlie envelopeimmediatelyy adjacent' to the predetermined stamp receiving zone.

` '2. Ina 'handeoperated stamp aflixing machine, the combination with means for feeding a stamp strip, of' a. manually operated plunger operatively associated -With .the Astrip feeding means, a stamp "engaging footv carriedv by said plunger, anda cancelling device movable independently of the foot andoperated automatically during `movement of the latter. t,

3. Ina hand-operated stamp afiixing machine,the combination with means for` feeding stamp' strip, of a manually operated plunger operatively associated with the strip feeding rneans,'a`stamp engagingl footk carried bysaid plunger, cancelling means carried by the foot for printing on the stamp, and independent. cancelling means movable' independently of the foot and open` able for printing on the envelope adjacent to the stamp. d j v,

4., In a hand-.operated stamp aiiXing machine, the combination with means for feeding a stamp strip to. a predetermined point on an envelope, V of a manually operated plunger operativelyassociated with ythe strip feeding means, a. cancelling device arranged toprint on an envelope at one side of and immediately adjacent tothe stampreceiving Zone, and meansacting automatically as the stamp is aiiixed to operate said cancellingdevice. j j l 5, In ahand-operated stamp aiiixingmaf. chine, the combinationl with means for feed ing a stamp strip to a predetermined point on an envelope, of a manually operated plunger operatively associatedwith the strip feedingmeans, a stamp engaging foot carried by saidV plunger, and a cancelling `device arranged to one side of-the foot and controlled by the plunger, the cancelling device being movable independently of the plunger` and acting to print on the envelope immediately. adjacent to the predetermined stamp receiving zone.

6. In a hand-operated Vstamp atlixing machine, the-combination with meansforfeedinga stamp strip to -a predetermined point on an envelope, ofa manually operated feeding means, and a cancellingdevice arthe strip y.

ranged to print on an ,envelopeat one side of the stamp receiving zone, the cancelling device being controlled by said plunger, and ried by said plunger, and a cancelling device movable independently thereof. carried by the plungerand located to one 10 l 7. In a hand-operated stamp aifxing Inasde of said foot, the cancelling device bechne, the combination with means for eeding movable independently of the plunger.

\ n ing a stamp strip to a predetermined point In Witness whereof, I have hereunto on an envelope, ol' a4 manually operated signed my name. y plunger operatively associated with the strip feeding means, a stamp engaging foot carn f- WILLIAM F. SCHWEGEB. 

